On New Year's Eve, the children of Skopelos go from house to house singing Carols and banging on metal triangles. However, the music, content and wishes are different to those at Christmas. In the past, the children would carry a toy boat with them, but now we only see boats in some shop windows or as part of the street light decorations. In Ancient Greece, boats on wheels were the traditional way of transporting Dionysus, the god of wine and feasting.
At the moment of the change in the year, all the lights are switched off, all the taps turned on and all the windows opened to let in the fresh air.
Podariko (Luck)
On New Year's Day the first person across the threshold should be the master of the house, the eldest son, or another lucky child, if there is to be a good, prosperous new year. They enter the house with the right foot first, carrying a small icon of a saint, or smashing a pomegranate inside the door, whilst wishing everyone a "Happy New Year".
Cutting the Vassilopitta
This is a big, round cake, like a brioche, which is dedicated to Aghios Vassilios, (St Basil) whose memory is honoured on January 1st. The cake can be decorated with icing sugar, representing wishes and has a coin buried into it on the underside by the woman of the house. The family gather round the table and the father of the house carries out the following ritual:
With a knife, he makes a cross three times on the cake, wishing everyone a 'Happy New Year', before cutting it into pieces. He starts by naming each piece according to the recipient; the first piece for Jesus Christ, the second for St Basil, the next to the house, the next to the poor, then to each member of the family in turn - first the grandparents, then the parents - himself and his wife - then the children. Other relatives are served next and then friends. Whoever discovers the coin will be lucky throughout the year!
New Year's Day itself is spent having parties, visiting relatives and gambling.